Greg Janney's 2008 escort of Gold Star dad John Wroblewski to site in Ramadi where his son, USMC 2Lt J.T. Wroblewski, ten other Marines, and a Navy Corpsman were killed in an ambush on 6 April 2004. This first visit and memorial service at the actual site in Iraq was to honor all twelve men of 2/4 Marines lost that day.
Iraq's reconstruction, security, and the religious genocide of Iraq's native Christians are also featured.

About Me

Professional photographer since 1985, I specialize in aerial, commercial, corporate, military, USDA photography of National Forests, event photography, and am also honored to have the chance to photograph families, reunions, seniors, and weddings. My Iraq 2008 trip was my second independent embed assignment in Iraq.
I am currently writing a book, "A Father's Journey to Iraq" detailing my 2 trips to Iraq with Gold Star father John Wroblewski.

26 May 2015

I
had not planned to write an essay on this holiday, but fighting
insomnia since 2:30 AM, I read a story that touched me so deeply I felt
prompted to share it with you.

U.S. Marine Sgt. William Stacey
was killed in 2012 in Afghanistan. The 23-year-old wrote a letter to his
family explaining why he was fighting, to be read in the event of his
death. Marine Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan at
the time, read the letter during a Memorial Day service in Kabul.
Sgt. Stacey wrote: "There will be a child who will live because men
left the security they enjoyed in their home to come to his. He will
have the gift of freedom which I have enjoyed for so long myself, and if
my life brings the safety of a child who will one day change the world,
then I know that it was worth it all."

Today we remember 1.3
million men and women who died so we could live. Each of them left the
security of their homes to defend ours. They paid the ultimate price for
their nation and for each of us. It's been said that the reason you've
not received a bill for the freedom you enjoy today is that its price
has already been paid. Today we remember those who paid that price and
pray for those they left behind. As we remember their sacrifice,
let us also remember the One who gave everything for our eternal life.
Paul told the Romans, "At just the right time, when we were still
powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a
righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to
die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6-8).

On March 15,
1985, Wayne Alderson appeared on The Today Show. The occasion was the
40th anniversary of his crossing into Germany, the first American
soldier to do so during World War II. He has a permanent crease on his
head from a wound he received on that day. Asked about his most
significant memory of the event, Alderson told about a red-headed friend
who saved his life. Alderson had come face to face with a German
soldier. He shot the German, but not before he had thrown a grenade at
Alderson which exploded and sent him face-down and wounded into the mud.
Nearby, a German machine gun began firing in his direction. Alderson
knew that if the grenade wound did not kill him, the machine gun would. But his friend turned him over so he could breathe and threw his own
body over him. He died protecting him from certain death. With tears
welling up in his eyes, Alderson said, "I can never forget the person
who sacrificed his life to save me. I owe everything to him. I can never
forget . . . I owe everything."

Honoring and Remembering our
brothers and sisters who have paid the ultimate price for all of us so
that liberty shall not perish from the Earth. We've heard or
have many stories of bravery, ferocity, tenacity, humanity, horror,
loss, honor, valor and kindness. They've been cried out loud by our
Warriors and Gold Star Families for all to hear or shared casually
during a moment of shared experience, oftentimes simply whispered in the
calm of night. They all come from the same place; a place of
pain and vulnerability, yearning for absolution or at the very least for
the next day to hurt less that the last. Unless you are or are close to
them, it may be hard to understand. The important thing is that a part
of the healing is the respect and remembrance of those who are gone.
Every day is another opportunity for someone to honor our fallen and
provide love for the living.

To the great many Warriors and Gold
Star Families I know personally, you have my eternal respect, gratitude
and love. Thank you for allowing me to honor you and your Heroes. It
truly is my highest honor. Today is a day of remembrance for our loved and lost. Recently I was asked to elaborate whether or not it is appropriate to
"fire up" the grills and 'celebrate' Memorial day and what was my
opinion as a veteran ... my response was simple: ."Go ahead and fire the
grill and enjoy the day because I wholeheartedly believe that's what
our fallen would want us to do. They would ask you just one thing ... to
just take a moment to reflect and share stories like this one with your
friends and family and especially your children, so that the legacy of
these brave souls will live forever."

It took me a while to let
go of the "guilt" for having been 'spared' and to embrace the "gift" of
being able to walk this earth and give my absolute best each and every
day to make a difference the best I can. I truly believe the
best way to honor our fallen is to remember them and defend these
liberties with all of our might and ability; as they did for us. Love
deeply and live greatly; for them and yourselves.